18.75 Hours Per Week
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Community Speech and Language Therapist (S<) to join our friendly Calderdale Adult Community Learning Disabilities Health Service.
The 0.5 wte post shared with another S< as part of 1.0 wte is being offered as either an Agenda for Change Band 5 position open to potential candidates who are not qualified Dysphagia assessors.
You will be offered the opportunity to train, and encouraged to complete the appropriate dysphagia course as dysphagia assessment and intervention are paramount needs for many of the people we work with.
The successful Band 5 candidate will be supported through the required Preceptorship period. The post is also being offered as an Agenda for Change Band 6 position, if the successful candidate has already completed appropriate Dysphagia training.
You will join an experienced, well-established and committed specialist multi-disciplinary team who work agilely across Calderdale. The Team includes dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, LD community nurses, psychiatry, psychology, an Intensive Support Team and therapy assistants and healthcare support workers.
Main duties of the job
1. You will be responsible for a defined caseload with service users of all levels of ability.
2. You will serve as an effective member of the MDT promoting a consistent multi-agency approach including support, supervision and development of staff.
3. You will work flexibly based on service user need, using reasonable adjustments to provide support.
4. You will demonstrate an ability to work autonomously and as part of a wider team.
5. You will have an understanding of the complex needs of people with learning disabilities and demonstrate qualities to deliver safe, effective and personalised care ensuring processes are followed in accordance with Trust objectives.
6. You will be committed to team working, be highly resilient and self-motivating, determined to add value to the organisation and committed to our vision and values.
7. Due to the nature of the role, it is essential that applicants are able to travel independently across the locality and have access to a suitable vehicle for business purposes.
All employees of the Trust are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to protect patients.
At the time of advertising, this role does not meet the minimum requirements (salary threshold or occupational requirements) set by UK Visas and Immigration to sponsor candidates to work in the UK. For this reason, unfortunately we are unable to sponsor anyone on a visa for this role at this moment in time.
About us
We are a specialist NHS Foundation Trust that provides community, mental health and learning disability services for the people of Barnsley, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. We also provide low and medium secure services and are the lead for the west Yorkshire secure provider collaborative.
Our mission is to help people reach their potential and live well in their communities, we do this by providing high-quality care in the right place at the right time. We employ staff in both clinical and non-clinical services who work hard to make a difference to the lives of service users, families and carers.
We encourage and welcome applications from all protected characteristic groups, we value diversity and want our workforce to be reflective of our communities.
Being a foundation Trust means we're accountable to our members, who can have a say in how we're run. Around 14,300 local people (including staff) are members of our Trust.
Join us and you will be one of over 4,500 staff committed to supporting and improving the mental, physical and social needs of the thousands of people we meet and help each year.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. The post holder will be required to work as an integral part of the multi-disciplinary team, providing SLT assessment and treatment for service users in receipt of care from community services.
2. Enabling service users to engage in a range of community based treatment activities. You will be actively involved in the promotion of SLT within the service area.
3. The post holder will be required to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service and the client group.
4. To provide clinical advice on the assessment, diagnosis and management of speech, language and communication difficulties and where applicable, swallowing difficulties, with a range of clients, including those with complex needs and to develop a clinical interest within the context of the caseload.
5. To manage a caseload independently with regular supervision and to prepare, implement and evaluate communication programmes and advice for clients to ensure the delivery of designated standards of care consistent with service policy and RCSLT guidelines.
6. To demonstrate sound clinical judgment, including negotiation, differential diagnosis, reflection, evaluation and the development of care plans. Clinical practice should be framed with reference to evidence based practice, having access to a supervisor, showing a recognition of own professional boundaries and the need for supervision, support and advice.
7. To monitor, evaluate and modify treatment in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
8. To adopt a client centred and sensitive approach to therapy, collaborating with clients (and/or carer(s) where appropriate) in all aspects of the therapy process.
9. To work proactively alongside other staff and clients in meeting their needs and to assist each individual to integrate with the local community as fully as possible, using practical and creative problem solving approaches to gain the active participation of services users.
10. To provide SLT reports on assessment and treatment by written and verbal reports to Consultants, GPs and other agencies involved, and to ensure that all correspondence relating to caseload is dealt with promptly.
11. To provide SLT perspective in multi-disciplinary team meetings, ward rounds, clinics and case conferences as required.
12. To ensure that up to date records and activity data are maintained in accordance with professional and Trust standards and policies.
13. To manage your own caseload and day to day activities.
14. To assist in the co-ordination of day to day activities of unqualified staff in the service area.
15. To work effectively as a team member, operating flexibly to meet the needs of the service and collaborating with other team members.
16. Ensure the Team Manager is kept informed of all aspects of the work, especially the development needs of the service.
17. To participate in service development.
Person Specification
Physical Attributes
Essential
* Ability to undertake the duties and demands of the post.
* A satisfactory sickness record over the previous 2 years (subject to the need to act with fairness and equality of opportunity, particularly where the sickness is related to a disability and/or pregnancy).
Experience
Essential
* Ability to demonstrate knowledge of working with people with Learning Disabilities.
* Post registration experience including in learning disabilities.
* Documented evidence of continuing professional development.
* Supervision of staff and/or students.
Desirable
* Experience of working with people with a learning disability in a clinical setting.
* Previous experience as a speech and language therapist working in the NHS.
* Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team.
* Leadership/first line management experience.
* Experience of a range of learning disability settings.
* Supervision of staff and/or students.
Special Knowledge and Skills
Essential
* A demonstrable range of core professional skills, including familiarity with a range of clinical protocols.
* Demonstrable knowledge of communication disorders presenting in a range of clients with communication difficulties in order to provide assessment, diagnosis and intervention.
* Flexible clinical skills which take account of the needs of the individual client.
* Demonstrable knowledge of issues related to the delivery of training to a range of recipients.
* Insight into issues of confidentiality in the context of health care.
* Insight into the requirement for excellence in clinical record keeping.
* An awareness of the functions of related professions, agencies and legislation relating to services to clients.
* Specialist knowledge and application of Speech & Language Therapy assessments and interventions relevant to learning disability.
* Extensive clinical practice skills including individual and group work.
* Understanding of and ability to use appropriate outcome measures.
* Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities.
* Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues.
* Supervisory/appraisal skills.
* Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance.
* Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information.
* Computer literacy.
* Ability to build effective working relationships.
* Detailed knowledge of clinical governance and its application.
Desirable
* Knowledge and understanding of cultural and diversity issues.
* An awareness of screening procedure for swallowing difficulties.
* Autism Awareness.
* An understanding of the specific contribution of Speech and Language Therapists in Learning Disability Services.
Qualifications
Essential
* Degree in speech and language pathology or therapy or equivalent.
* Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist Certificate to Practice.
* Registration with Health Care Professions Council (HCPC).
* Degree in Speech and Language Therapy or equivalent.
* RCSLT Registration.
Training
Essential
* To be willing to undertake post graduate training to further skills, knowledge and expertise.
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